Thoughts on several current events

I have, for the most part, sworn off posting political stuff on Facebook.  I will try to resume my blog for that purpose,  but not limiting it to politics.   I hope to post on various topics at least once, and hopefully twice, each week.  I promise to post a good Obama-Hillary-Eric Holder bash real soon. ;-)

There have been a couple of things that have happened in the last few days regarding carrying of personal firearms.  One is the incident in Maryland where a man who had a valid carry permit from Florida was harassed by Maryland officers even though he did not have his weapon with him.  I did link to this article on FB.  The article can be found at

http://tbo.com/list/columns-tjackson/jackson-gun-owner-unarmed-unwelcome-in-maryland-20140112/

I believe this is an example of the worst sort of behavior by police officers, short of actual physical brutality.  More than likely, the officers were "trolling" for drug mules.  The car was from Florida, and it and the occupants probably fit some kind of profile indicating a possible drug car.  It is disturbing to think that an innocent family can be inconvenienced, humiliated, and generally treated like criminals by law enforcement in the US.  Maryland is a notorious anti-gun state, but things like this happen all too often in even usually gun-friendly states.

Next, the incident in Florida where the retired Police Officer killed the guy who was texting during the movie previews.   Wow!  

I don't know exactly what happened, and whether the retired officer was indeed shooting in self defense after the incident escalated, but it sure sounds bad for him.  I won't offer an opinion on who is at fault here, but I do have some thoughts on carrying a personal weapon.

First, if one chooses to carry a firearm, he/she needs to be sure that he has the proper mental attitude.   If one isn't prepared to use his weapon if the need arises, then it could very well be used against him.  I am afraid many people buy a gun thinking that it can be used to scare away a potential attacker.  It might, but it might not.

I believe there are several things about which a legal carrier of a firearm must be very clear in his or her mind.

First, just because you carry a weapon, that does not make you a police officer.  Many people have fantasies of breaking up an armed robbery in a convenience store, or stopping a brutal domestic attack in a public place.  Remember, as a citizen (as opposed to a Police Officer), every bullet you fire has your name on it, with a strong possibility of a lawsuit at the end of it.  Police Officers have the liability protection of the state or municipality.  If Barney Fife fires a shot at a criminal but hits the Baptist Minister instead, the City of Mayberry is liable.  If you do it, you are liable.

Next, if you choose to carry, you need to become the meekest, mildest person in the room.  If you are carrying a weapon, I believe you lose the right, morally if not legally, to become aggressive.   You no longer can afford to blow your horn and flip off the idiot who cut you off in traffic.  You can't afford to initiate a confrontation over something so trivial as, say, texting in a movie theater.  You don't know how the person you are hassling is going to react.  If you have initiated such a confrontation, and wind up having to use your gun, then a jury is probably going to find you in the wrong.

I believe there are two legitimate reasons for a private citizen to carry a gun:  first to protect that individual and or his/her loved ones.  Next, and to a lessor extent, and in some circumstances, to protect property.  There might be times when intervention is justified, but I believe they are few and far between.